It’s a wonderful feeling to being able to accomplish an important task at your own pace.  Unfortunately, entrance tests like the DLSUCET generally don’t allow you to do that.  Many are the tales of who ran out of time and ended up not finishing the test.

The good news is that you can adopt specific strategies to help you cope with the different sections of the DLSUCET.  Before you can do that, however, it helps to have an idea of what to expect from the test.

The Coverage

Strictly speaking, stock knowledge alone will not help you get through the DLSUCET.  While it does have its share of general high school math, English and science-related questions, the way some of the questions are presented will force you to rely on your other learned skills.

Some distinguishing traits of the DLSUCET include an abstract reasoning section and a logical reasoning.  The former will test your ability to recognize patterns, while the latter will throw statements at you and have you infer relationships between them.

The DLUCET also features a couple of essays—one in English, one in Filipino.  They will measure your ability to organize and express your thoughts quickly (in about fifteen minutes or so) succinctly and coherently.  Questions may be drawn from the entire gamut of social or current events.  Some test takers have reported answering questions ranging from the Abu Sayaff to the role of the youth with respect to media violence and sexism.

An Ounce of Preparation

Preparing for the DLSUCET will require a multi-pronged approach.  Those who’ve been there, done that will recommend that you review your past and current high school lessons for English, Filipino, science and math.

They also recommend reading—a lot.  This serves a two-fold purpose:  one, it helps you improve your word power (which is very handy for tackling the formidable vocabulary questions); two, it gives you more knowledge to work with for the essay portions of the exam.

Speaking of which, the best way to prepare is to prepare for the essay writing sections is to actually write.  Grab a friend, pick any socially relevant topic and begin writing.  Time yourself for fifteen minutes, and then review your work with your friend.  Repeat this over and over until you get the hang of it.  Raise the bar each time by gradually decreasing your time limit during every instance.

The abstract and logical reasoning sections may also be a bit tricky to prepare for, but they’re nothing that can’t be fixed with a little help from your friendly internet search engines.  Try and look for some free IQ or SAT test samples (with answer keys, of course) online and start answering them!

Harder to Finish, Easier to Pass

A DLSUCET veteran once remarked that it’s “harder to finish the DLSUCET, but easier to pass it.”  I have yet to verify the truth of this statement.  Nevertheless, the fact remains that the test is a long, challenging, pressure cooker kind of exam.

You need not worry, though.  With adequate preparation, rest, nutrition and prayer, you’ll have a pretty good shot at passing it and passing it well.

Related posts:

1. What to Expect from the DLSUCET
2. DLSUCET Application: Frequently Asked Questions
3. DLSUCET Results for AY 2011-2012 Freshmen
4. DLSUCET 2010 (AY 2011-2012) Application Ongoing
5. DLSUCET Review Guide
6. DLSUCET Schedule and Important Dates 2010: SY 2011-2012
7. DLSUCET Results Are Out!
8. UPCAT Coverage
9. DLSUCET Tips
10. DLSUCET Schedule Changes
11. DLSUCET Schedule and Important Dates
12. Increasing your Chances of Passing the DLSUCET
13. UPCAT, DLSUCET, ACET & USTET Application
14. The DLSUCET and DLSU Application Process
15. DLSUCET Reconsideration Process